Playing God
by Birrirra
Summary: From the moment they're born, Saiyans are tested for their power potential, and none were found more powerful than the young Prince Vegeta...so just how did a low-class warrior named Kakkarott come to surpass him?


Dragon Ball Z and all related characters are the property of Akira Toriyama, Bird Studios and FUNImation and remain their property.  
  
Playing God  
  
Freeza watched the young Saiyan prince as he trained, his tail twitching slightly. The boy had improved rather dramatically in the past few months, since the death of his entire race. If it affected him at all he showed no sign. He just trained.  
  
Perhaps it was just his way of coping.  
  
He didn't know the truth of course. That Freeza himself had brought about the end of his people. That he had personally butchered his father when the fool had come to take back his son. Then had destroyed the entire planet.  
  
He'd never experienced anything quite so exhilarating as wiping out an entire species.  
  
Particularly that one Saiyan that had risen up against him.  
  
A low-class warrior, even by Saiyan standards. And yet his death had been strangely satisfying. Almost as satisfying as the king's…  
  
The little prince didn't know that Freeza had ordered his men to track down the Saiyans that had been sent out just recently to liquidate the inhabitants of outlying planets. He didn't see any troubles arising from this mission, even his lowest troops could handle it. These Saiyans after all were only infants. Even smaller than their five-year-old prince.  
  
'They're nothing but a race off babies.' He thought to himself. 'And soon, not even that…'  
  
He knew that the prince would eventually learn the truth, that he would eventually turn on his master…if he had the muscle to back him up. That was why he had ordered his troops to hunt down and eradicate the few remaining Saiyans. If those infants could be rallied against him sometime in the future they could prove a threat to him. And who better to organise such an offensive than their prince?  
  
The boy was one of the brightest Saiyans Freeza had ever encountered. Not much of a boast considering the race as a whole, but the child had a keen mind and an ever-watchful gaze. Very little escaped him, and he had the potential to be a great strategist…if he could just learn to control his temper. He would often lose his composure in battle, which would usually lead to rather disastrous results.  
  
Freeza flinched involuntarily as a bright flash from the young Saiyan's hands disintegrated his opponents into little more than a red mist. He frowned. He knew that no Saiyan before or after had the same level of power potential of the little princeling, and that potential worried him. He had only the Saiyan test to go on, and he desperately wanted to run his own, far more detailed tests on the boy, but he knew the boy would never agree to them.  
  
He heard the quite shuffle of Dodoria as he shifted his massive weight from one foot to the other. Dodoria and Zarbon were never very far from their master, acting like his bodyguards. Not that Freeza needed them, he was far more than a match for any warrior that dared approach him. But their mere presence, flanking him on either side, added to his overall menace.  
  
A cruel smile curled his blood red lips. He knew now how to accomplish those tests.  
  
"Dodoria." He said. "I have a little task for you."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Vegeta snarled to himself as he roughly towelled off his hair. It had been a good workout, but he was getting bored with training again. Only in real combat could his powers increase to the levels he was after. He hated being under Freeza's thumb. He'd hated it when his father had turned him over to the pasty-faced tyrant. But he'd known it was temporary, that his father would eventually come for him.  
  
But now his father was dead. And he hadn't even died nobly, like a true warrior should, in the heat of battle. His life had been snuffed out by an unfortunate act of nature. Sometimes he wondered if it was the universe's way of dealing out justice on the Saiyans for their brutal acts. But if that were true, why was Freeza still here? The Saiyans were only the troops, he was the general.  
  
But he was treated well enough. His lodgings were no longer as luxurious as they had once been. He didn't have servants to answer to his every whim. But it was obvious that Freeza favoured him. Perhaps he liked having the last living Saiyan as a pet.  
  
He reached for the door release, planning on some well-deserved rest. The door opened silently, but his exit was blocked by the hulking form of Dodoria. He didn't fear the spiked warrior, even though he was nowhere near as strong as him, at least not yet, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with him.  
  
"Not bad, little monkey." He smirked.  
  
Vegeta's brows furrowed furiously. It was considered highly degrading by any Saiyan to be referred to in such a manner. For the proud warrior race it was the ultimate insult, despite its accuracy. For those of the royal bloodline it was unbearable.  
  
"I am Prince of all Saiyans." Vegeta growled. "And you will address me with the respect I deserve!"  
  
"You missed you're calling, kid." Dodoria laughed. "You should have gone into comedy. You crack me up!"  
  
Vegeta's temper flared and he flew at the pudgy warrior. Dodoria caught him easily. "Prince of all Saiyans, huh?" He sneered. "You are Prince of a disintegrated pile of rubble. Prince of a dead race." He smirked. "You are Prince of nothing. Your entire, misbegotten race is gone."  
  
Vegeta ground his teeth. His snorted through flared nostrils.  
  
"What's the matter, little PRINCE?" Dodoria teased. "You gonna cry?" His smile becoming more and more evil. "You gonna run home to daddy? Oh…that's right." He pulled the Saiyan closer, looking straight into his eyes. "Daddy's dead."  
  
Vegeta exploded, using all the anguish of his loss of EVERYTHING that he'd squashed down deep inside himself to unleash a furious attack on the smug warrior.  
  
Startled by the sudden and brutal attack, Dodoria reflexively dropped the little Saiyan. But Vegeta didn't back away. He continued his onslaught, pouring every ounce of rage and pain he felt into the assault.  
  
Dodoria just smiled.  
  
"If that's the way you want it kid."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Zarbon watched as the two warriors seemed intent on tearing each other apart. Vegeta was inflicting some real damage on Dodoria, the hulking warrior unable to keep up with the boy's speed and agility. But Zarbon knew that the little Saiyan couldn't keep it up for long. He was just a child, an immensely powerful child to be sure, but a child nonetheless. And he was already tired from his workout. All Dodoria had to do was wait until the boy wore himself out, then he'd be at his mercy.  
  
He glanced at Freeza who was watching the conflict with great amusement. He had ordered this. He had told Dodoria to go and pick a fight with a little boy. Zarbon didn't often question his master, but he questioned this. He couldn't fathom what this could possibly prove.  
  
Freeza noticed the expression on Zarbon's face and smiled at his loyal warrior. "You question my motives, don't you Zarbon?" He queried.  
  
"Of course not, Master." Zarbon answered quickly.  
  
"Yes you do." He turned from the carnage.  
  
"I may not understand it, Lord Freeza." Zarbon clarified. "But I know you have you reasons."  
  
"Indeed I do, Zarbon." Freeza smiled, turning back to watch the battle. "Indeed I do."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Dodoria was surprised at the fight in the little Saiyan. He knew the boy had potential, but he hadn't anticipated this level of power. He could taste blood in his mouth, the little brat had broken several ribs with a well-placed head butt, and Dodoria was beginning to suspect that one had pierced his lung. He was finding it difficult to breath.  
  
But the battle was taking its toil on the boy. His breathing was becoming ragged, it was obvious that he was tiring, but he refused to give in. Dodoria admired that. He would make an excellent warrior one day.  
  
But not today.  
  
"Give it up, half-pint." Dodoria smirked through his pain. "You can't beat me."  
  
"I cannot." The boy hissed through clenched teeth. "The honour of my people is at stake."  
  
Dodoria raised a brow, surprised at the boy's comment. He had insulted the Saiyan race, but Dodoria didn't know that it meant that much to the little prince.  
  
"Forget about honour, kid." Dodoria told him. "There's no honour in what we do. We kill people. Butcher entire races. Destroy worlds. All for a profit." He shook his head. "What makes you think yours was any different?"  
  
Vegeta hurled himself at Dodoria with all the strength that remained to him. Slamming into his face, he squashed his nose against his face.  
  
Dodoria screamed with pain, swatting the boy away like he was nothing more than a fly. Vegeta hit the ground hard. Wincing, he tried to drag himself to his feet.  
  
"You little brat!" Dodoria growled, holding a hand to his nose in a desperate attempt to stem the flow of blood. "You broke my nose!"  
  
"But I improved your looks." Vegeta chuckled painfully. His laugh morphed into a cough as he spit up blood.  
  
Dodoria's chubby fist closed on the Saiyan's tail. Vegeta could do nothing as he was lifted from the floor by the sensitive appendage. His tail was not designed to bare his weight, and his face screwed up with pain.  
  
Laughing, Dodoria began to power up, a ball of light coalescing around his free hand.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Freeza's eyes widened.  
  
"I told Dodoria that he was NOT to kill him!"  
  
~~~~~  
  
Vegeta knew that a blast of that magnitude would most likely be his end. He focused what energy he had left to match the blast. He was dimly aware of the door hissing open.  
  
"Dodoria!" Freezer growled. "That's enough!"  
  
Dodoria looked at his master for a split second. It was all the distraction that Vegeta needed. He hit Dodoria with everything he had left.  
  
It wasn't much, but it was enough to enrage Dodoria. With a painful howl he hurled the barely conscious Vegeta against the far wall. The young Saiyan impacted with a sickening crunch. Sliding to the floor, he neither made a sound nor a movement.  
  
Freezer turned on Dodoria. "I told you that he was not to be permanently damaged."  
  
"The filthy little monkey broke my nose." Dodoria wailed.  
  
"I will personally break every bone in your body if he dies." Freeza promised. "Now go and get your injuries tended to."  
  
Dodoria shuffled out under Freeza's baleful glare.  
  
"Zarbon," he ordered quietly. "Take the boy to the treatment centre."  
  
Zarbon knelt down by the little prince's broken body. He wasn't sure that he should even be moved. But orders were orders. He scooped up the boy as gently as he could. Vegeta let out a tiny, gurgled moan, a rivulet of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His dark eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, but he didn't have the strength left to focus them. His head lolled back as he became a dead weight in Zarbon's arms.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Freeza watched as the liquid slowly filled the healing chamber. It had been difficult finding a breath mask to cover the little Saiyan's face, the equipment was designed for adults.  
  
The medic on duty had been appalled at the condition Vegeta had been in when Zarbon had carried him in. A child, even a Saiyan child, should never have been allowed to come to such harm.  
  
"The boy is lucky to be alive." He said softly, fearful of Freeza's wrath should he overstep his bounds.  
  
"He is a Saiyan." Freeza pointed out, tapping the glass with the tip of his tail like a child might tap the glass of an aquarium chasing the fish within. "This will only make him stronger."  
  
"If he survives." Zarbon muttered under his breath.  
  
"He had better." Freeza countered. "For Dodoria's sake."  
  
The medic kept close watch on the prince's life signs, letting out a sigh of relief as they began to stabilise. Though he had nothing to do with the boy's condition, he wouldn't put it past his dark master to take out his frustrations on him if he failed to heal the child.  
  
"He is responding?" Freeza enquired, hearing the medic's sigh.  
  
"Yes, Lord Freeza."  
  
"The Saiyan are a hardy breed." Zarbon said absently.  
  
"They were." Freeza chuckled. He looked straight at the medic. "While he is here, I want you to run a full medical examination on him. I want to know his power levels. What he was, what he is, what he will be."  
  
"Yes, my Lord." The medic bowed humbly.  
  
~~~~~  
  
As soon as he was released from the treatment centre, Vegeta was back in training. He was amazed at how much his power had increased since his fight with Dodoria.  
  
'A few more near fatal beatings and I'll be stronger than Freeza.' He thought absently.  
  
Freeza had also returned to his voyeurism of the boy. "You have to admire his dedication." He said to no one in particular.  
  
Zarbon and the now healed Dodoria turned as the medic entered the room.  
  
"You have the results?" Freeza asked without even turning to acknowledge the newcomer.  
  
"Yes, my Lord." He said meekly.  
  
"And?" Freeza arched a brow.  
  
"By my calculations…" he swallowed nervously, unwilling to be the barer of bad news. "The boy will surpass you before he reaches his tenth year."  
  
"WHAT?!" Freeza spun on the started medic who cowered away from him in genuine fear of his life. Dodoria and Zarbon exchanged a startled glance. Freeza cooled quickly. "Well now…" he said with a wicked smile. "We can't have that can we?"  
  
"No, my Lord." The medic agreed. "And if it pleases you, I may have a solution."  
  
"Really?" Freeza raised a curious brow.  
  
"I have taken the liberty…" He began. "To…uh…"  
  
"Get on with it!" Freeza growled.  
  
"I have manufactured this." He pulled a vial from his robes, handing it reverently to his lord and master.  
  
Freeza took it, turning it over in his hands. It seemed wholly unremarkable.  
  
"What is it?" He demanded of the medic.  
  
"It is a synthetic compound." He explained. "Specifically designed to target the boy's DNA…it won't effect anybody else…not even another Saiyan…"  
  
"And it does…?" Freeza prompted.  
  
"It will retard his power growth…keep him…manageable…"  
  
Freeza smiled as he studied the shimmering liquid. "Any side-effects?" He asked.  
  
"It will stunt his physical growth." The medic admitted.  
  
"So it will keep him weak AND small?" Freeza smile deepened. "Perfect…" He turned on the medic. "But how exactly do you plan to administer it?"  
  
"It needs to be taken continuously…once it is out of his system his growth will return to its intended norm…" The medic explained haltingly. "I suggest that it be added to his rations…as I said before…it won't effect anyone else, so even if somebody else were to eat anything prepared for him…"  
  
"See to it." He commanded, cutting the medic off.  
  
"As you wish, my Lord." The medic bowed, and all but bolted from the room, glad to be out of Freeza's presence.  
  
"Perhaps your father was correct." Freeza said softly as he turned his attention back to the little Saiyan. "Perhaps you were destined for your peoples' legendary status." He looked at the vial in his hand. "But thanks to medical science, you will never get there…"  
  
He chuckled wickedly.  
  
"You will NEVER be a Super Saiyan." 


End file.
